Patients face long journeys for medicines as pharmacies cut weekend hours

"One in six pharmacies in England have reduced their hours at weekends since 2022, with some shutting altogether, as a result of unsustainable pressures on their budgets. The cuts mean that overall more than 20% of weekend opening hours have been lost, which has left pharmacy services increasingly unavailable."

"Rural areas such as Devon, Cornwall and the Lake District were particularly affected, although in cities such as Manchester and Leeds there had also been less weekend opening. People in Windermere in Cumbria have to undertake a 10-mile drive to the nearest pharmacy that is open on a Sunday, which takes 25 minutes by car or 45 minutes by public transport."

"This is yet more evidence that the pharmacy network in England is creaking at the seams after facing deep cuts over a number of years. Sadly the real losers are the millions of patients these pharmacies serve, particularly those in rural areas, who are forced to travel long distances or even go to hospital if they need a prescription or advice for a minor health issue on a Sunday or late at night."

Pharmacies across England are cutting weekend opening hours due to budget pressures, with one in six reducing hours or closing entirely since 2022. This has resulted in over 20% loss of weekend pharmacy availability. Rural areas like Devon, Cornwall, and the Lake District are particularly affected, though cities including Manchester and Leeds have also experienced reduced weekend access. Patients now travel significant distances for medications, with some going to A&E or urgent treatment centres for prescriptions or minor ailment advice. Disabled people, shift workers, and those without reliable transport face particular difficulties accessing necessary medications on weekends. The pharmacy network faces unsustainable financial pressures after years of budget cuts.

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